How to Save Money on Moving

 

1. Pack yourself

It's a great way to reduce your moving expenses especially if the moving company will be charging you per hour. You might as well spend a weekend before the move trying to do as much of your own packing as you possibly can. Leave the big furniture and bulky items to the moving professionals but pack your own boxes. If you plan on using a lot of packing materials, you might shop around and buy some online at a cheaper price. If you know you will be moving in a few months, start collecting boxes - whenever you get a delivery from Amazon, or see some left on the street by a new tenant who just moved in. You can also inquire in a local store if there any spare boxes that they are looking to get rid of, tell them you'll be more than happy to collect them.

2. Get more than one quote

Obtaining multiple moving estimates is essential since the cost of your size move will vary from one company to another. Some movers charge a premium rate based on their superb reputation, but if your stuff is mostly old furniture you inherited from your late uncle, is it worth paying for the name?  At the same time you should beware of a lowball estimate since it might imply some hidden charges. Once you get 3-5 quotes, you will have a better understand of how much your move will come up to. As you compare the estimates, make sure to check that the moving company of your choice is fully licensed and insured.

3. Sell your stuff

Downsizing before that move is another way to lower your moving cost. There's eBay and Craigslist that will help you get rid of the extra items you don't want to take along. You will ensure there'll be enough space in your new house for new items and make a few extra bucks along the way.

4. Be flexible

Movers have their peak and off-peak days. As you can guess, most people prefer to move during the weekend when they don't have to be at work. Another tendency is for moving companies to be more busy at the end and beginning of each month - many tenants rush to move before the next month's rent is up. And it goes without saying that summer is the hottest season in the moving industry since so many people wait to relocate until their kids are out of school. If you don't have a specific date preference,  try to move in the middle of the month on a weekday.

5. Check for tax benefits

If you are moving for work, you might qualify for a tax break. See more information on tax cuts for moving expenses here.

Packing Tips from Statewide Van Lines

Packing your items with care will prevent any damages during the move. Moving supplies might run expensive especially if you need quite a lot of them. However the cost of repairing or replacing the broken items that result from improper packing can cost you much more. So investing in moving boxes, tape and bubble wrap can actually help you save. If you are ready to start packing, here are a few tips that can help you in the process.

• Pack one room at a time and label the boxes accordingly. This way you will avoid mixing up items from different rooms and will be more organized when you arrive at your new place. Color-coding boxes is a wise idea, it will make it so much easier for movers to figure out in which rooms the boxes should go upon unloading.

• Pack infrequently used items first. Since the packing process can take several days, start off by packing items you won’t need in the upcoming days - books, winter clothes (if you are moving during the summer), linen and towels. Save packing the items of daily use for the last day or you will end up unpacking you boxes too many times in search for something you’ve already packed but all of a sudden need now.

• Heavy items – small boxes, bulky light items – large boxes. Following this principle will ensure that movers will be able to lift up the boxes filled with heavy items like books, yet they won’t have to make too many trips carrying your light and bulky items such as pillows and blankets.

• Use original boxes for electronics. It will best protect your computer, printer or TV if you pack them in their original shipping boxes, since they are specifically designed for the size and shape of each item. This will greatly minimize the risk of breakage during the move.

• Bubble wrap your glassware and mirrors. Wrapping fragile items with just paper will not always provide enough protection. Use newspaper to eliminate any empty space in the boxes. Don’t forget to label those boxes as “Fragile” or “Glass – Handle with Care”.

8 Things To Do Before You Move In

1. Change the locks: even though you receive your keys from the landlord/previous tenants, there is no guarantee they don’t keep an extra copy.

2. Clean the fridge: it’s been in use by other people for quite some time. You need to defrost it, clean and disinfect it, then leave the doors open and let it air for some time.

3. Arrange for utilities to be turned on: if you are moving into a private house during the winter, there will be no heating, so you want to make sure to have it connected on the day of the move. The same applies to the electricity – it’s no fun to sit in the dark just because you scheduled it last minute and the electricity company can only send someone in a day or two.

4. Check for bugs and rodents: if necessary, have the exterminator examine and spray your rooms. Open the windows to air the space before you move in.

5. Measure the rooms/doorways/elevator for the furniture: if you have big bulky items, you want to make sure they will go through the doorway or the elevator door. If they won't – you might have to arrange for hoisting services. Have a plan ready of where your big furniture will go so that the movers can put it in the right places.

6. Inspect for damages: big holes in the walls, stains, scratches, broken window glass – you don’t want to be held responsible for something that the previous tenants did. Inform the landlord about your findings and request for the damages to be fixed.

7. Check for lead paint: you can purchase a lead test kit at a local hardware store.

8. Window Guards: make sure you get them installed before you move in if you have children.

How to Deal with Stress Caused by Moving

When you are about to move to a new location you find yourself under a lot of pressure: finding a moving company, packing and discarding, living on suitcases, shutting down the utilities, starting them off again, address change, mail forward, waiting for a cable guy…. Your to-do-list seems endless and your comfort level is at its lowest.

But not all the stress is caused by dealing with the moving arrangements, part of the stress should be attributed to the effect of change and the necessity to adept to it. Your customary daily routine is disrupted, your surroundings are new and unfamiliar; you are a foreigner in the neighborhood you just moved in to and you miss your old life.

There are a few things you can do to regain your confidence and comfort sooner:

Unpack and organize.

Being unable to find anything among the numerous boxes and the mess caused by the move adds up to your frustration. You want to tackle the unpacking process immediately even if it means taking an extra day off at work. But once your items are all in place and the boxes are discarded, your home begins to feel like home, finding things gets easier, you are able to organize your days in a more efficient way.

Get New Stuff for Your New Home

Sometimes it’s simply weird to see your old furniture against the new walls. You move it around, try to find the optimal place for everything, but it still doesn’t look right. It’s like the old and the new fail to connect and you are stuck somewhere in the middle. Getting a few new items can be that connecting piece that you lack: bright curtains with some peculiar pattern, a painting, a new rug, a fancy chandelier. These decorative items will symbolize the change - your life is taking a new turn after all - but at the same time they will help your interior look complete and cozy.

Meet the Neighbors.

A friend of mine recently moved from Colorado to an apartment building in Manhattan. She asked me how weird it will be to bake a cake and offer it to her new neighbors. Maybe it will feel strange for them, chances are someone won’t even open the door, but I am sure there will still be people whose hearts will melt from such a nice gesture. But if it helps her feel more at home in a new neighborhood – why not? Don’t wait for your neighbors to start the conversation – introduce yourself first. The sooner you’ll get to know people whom you are likely to meet on a daily basis – the sooner you will feel like you belong here.

Have a House-Warming Party

Invite your old friends and your new neighbors. Connect the two dots together – your past and your future. Celebrate the change, after all partying, music and good food are all well-known stress-management tactics. Besides by arranging a house-warming party you sort of make it official: “I moved. Cheers to my new life!”